This was one of the key points brought up at the KAN meeting last week. Ray Steiger, the interim head of Public Works mentioned a proposed $20 fee on license renewals for Kirkland residents. The fee would go directly towards road repair in the city. Currently, excise tax and taxes on gas help pay for transportation fees, but there’s not enough money to pay for all the needed road repairs. Road maintenance is expensive. According to Steiger, the cost to pave a mile of roadway is about $1 million.

Extensive road maintenance is needed in Kirkland, according to Steiger. He likened roads in disrepair to a home in need of paint and caulking. If neither the road or the home is maintained, water can get in or under a surface, causing continual damage and the need for even more repair at a later date. The money raised would be used to repair and overlay the roads.

Will this fee go up for a public vote?

The fee is not required by state law to go up for public vote, however, the City would like people to be aware this fee is under consideration. The fee is already used for road repair in both Edmonds and Olympia.

Which elementary school would you like to see get its sidewalks first?

On May 18th, the Kirkland City Council will be considering neighborhood updates. The Council has a study session scheduled in the Peter Kirk room of City Hall at 6 PM to begin the review process for the CIP-Capital Improvement Plan. One of the issues in the plan is neighborhood traffic control, which includes adding 1/4 mile of sidewalks by each elementary school in Kirkland by 2019. Part of this week’s study session is to prioritize which schools get the sidewalks first. Councilman Asher, who was at the KAN meeting, encouraged people to contact the City Council or attend the study session to make their priorities known. Which elementary school would you like to see get its sidewalks first?